2. History/Background of the Hotel

The Adolphus Hotel was the dream of Adolphus Busch. He was a German immigrant and founder of the renown Busch Beer Company. Busch seemed to have a passion for hotels and already owned the Oriental Hotel which was built in 1892 and situated on the southeast corner streets of Commerce and Akard. In 1910, Dallas was booming and the newly burgeoning city wanted a new City Hall and a new grand hotel to represent their expansion. The city leaders decided to talk to Busch about the creation of a new luxury hotel on the site of the old City Hall. Adolphus Busch agreed and shortly announced plans to build a $1 million hotel at the opposite corners of Commerce and Akard. Later that year, in 1910, the demolition of the old city hall and the construction of the new hotel was started (Adolphus Hotel Ghost).

During the Roaring Twenties, the Adolphus would be the place to be. Over the years the Adolphus has been host to major stars of music and film and has hosted a fantastic array of first class entertainment. Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, and Tommy Dorsey all played at the Adolphus. The Adolphus has also been host to such famous people as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, President Roosevelt and Mrs. Roosevelt, and Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and many others (Adolphus Hotel Ghost).